This will be the 96 and up 5.7 vortec converted to HEI distributor and carb intake with a mild cam swap. Should be good for 350+ HP only wire needed is ignition wire to the distributor and typical wiring for starter, alt, etc. It wont matter to me what version vortec I get; either version is fine.for what I want to do. No plans to add any cam lift to the heads.The LS Vortec can be done but not very easily, The oil pan is the issue; special modding needs to be done to the front cross member of the chassis to make it fit. Fly wheels also need spacers for mating it up to older transmissions. If you could find a Camaro LS engine complete with 6 speed that would be the way to go. You would then get an aftermarket carb intake and the MSD ignition for it. Its then all plug and play and is as simple as the good ol days. The MSD box for the LS engine is really slick. However I no longer endorse wood gassing any LS engine. They are interference engines if the valves become sticky from wood gassing you will smash the valves.
Also I had a GM engineer at the shop not too long ago. He gave some valuable input regarding NG converted vortec motors. This is lab tested info regarding gaseous fuels. He said we should be using the HD truck version with the hardened valve seats.
Advanced Adapters out of California makes direct swap bell housings for both the Toyota 5 speed and the stock S-10 5 speeds. Both trucks have the Iron Duke 2.5 ltr, I think these have the Buick 60* bell housing bolt pattern. So we will need to replace this bell housing with the 90* bell housing from Advanced Adaptors.There are tons of conversion kits for the motor mnts, Ill most likely just buy the kits for motor mounting instead of reinventing my own. For the radiator since these truck did come with the 4.3 you can just simply get an HD version and install it.You do need to install a short style water pump of the 60’s era to make room up there. I just look for an water pump for a 66 SS Chevy II or the equivalent and even then I think you do have to move the radiator into the support a bit. The only real issue is the exhaust you need special headers and have to remove the steering colum to install the engine. Then thread the steering shaft threw the header after install. The 4x4 system will all be custom fab by us, many have done Blazer chassis swaps but they look hacked to me. This will look proportioned correctly with a true solid front axle 4x4 system.